These walls have been formidable and daunting at times, presenting various graphic obstacles for an artist. I love a challenge, though. And so it has been, one that I've met with a steady work ethic--as a mama sometimes I've only been able to grab an hour here, an hour there--and I've loved every minute of it! It's been a fun change of pace and space, and I couldn't have asked for better locations to do these murals. The first one finished was at First Baptist Church's Family Life Center. The FLC is a multi-purpose fitness and activities center with facilities, equipment, and programs open to church members and the community. I grew up playing pickup basketball there and it is the backdrop to countless memories in my youth!
The director of the FLC, Liz Isandoro (an art enthusiast!), had a vision for the mural to convey some natural elements, not necessarily sports-related, but something that everyone of all ages could appreciate and enjoy. She'd seen my "Blue Summer" painting
and we talked about using that (above) as the inspiration for an expansive panorama of mountainous imagery, traveling the length of the gymnasium in the middle of the FLC building.
Here's what the gym looked like before (a beautiful, sunlit space that just needed some 'jazzing up' with color on the walls):
And here it is after I got my hands on it for a few months
I never measured the exact square footage for this project but it is longer than the length of the actual basketball court. And the wall height was about 10 feet. It really looks so much better in person (so go to the wonderful FLC and check it out!!); it is so long that it was difficult to get a photo to really capture it. This project was something of a real team effort; the staff at the FLC was incredibly helpful, and I had several people who helped me paint, my two good friends Jessica and Brooke, my art student Sarah, and my sister Meg. I also had major 'babysitting time' from my cousins Maggie and Casey. The best part about this job was that Jack loved being there too! They have tons of stuff for kids to play with, and he ran all around the place having a ball (special thanks to FLC staffer Corey who kept an eye on him many times!!). His favorite thing to do was to watch the "big boys" who came in to play basketball every MWF at lunchtime.
Here he is very comfortably watching the guys warm up:
(Hi Kate!)
and we talked about using that (above) as the inspiration for an expansive panorama of mountainous imagery, traveling the length of the gymnasium in the middle of the FLC building.
Here's what the gym looked like before (a beautiful, sunlit space that just needed some 'jazzing up' with color on the walls):
I never measured the exact square footage for this project but it is longer than the length of the actual basketball court. And the wall height was about 10 feet. It really looks so much better in person (so go to the wonderful FLC and check it out!!); it is so long that it was difficult to get a photo to really capture it. This project was something of a real team effort; the staff at the FLC was incredibly helpful, and I had several people who helped me paint, my two good friends Jessica and Brooke, my art student Sarah, and my sister Meg. I also had major 'babysitting time' from my cousins Maggie and Casey. The best part about this job was that Jack loved being there too! They have tons of stuff for kids to play with, and he ran all around the place having a ball (special thanks to FLC staffer Corey who kept an eye on him many times!!). His favorite thing to do was to watch the "big boys" who came in to play basketball every MWF at lunchtime.
Here he is very comfortably watching the guys warm up:
I could write a much longer post about this project, about the challenges it presented and the lessons I learned from the mistakes and mishaps.
I could talk more about the personal inspiration behind these mountains and all the many times I've driven the Blue Ridge Parkway (the inspiration) with loved ones
More than a few hours lost here.
Lesson: double check to see if the wall is oil-based BEFORE painting an outline
I could talk more about the personal inspiration behind these mountains and all the many times I've driven the Blue Ridge Parkway (the inspiration) with loved ones
I can even relate this immense project to other undertakings in my life currently, like how I start nursing school in Athens in a few weeks and I'm sortof freaking out. I am proud of myself for finishing this mural in only about 2.5 months while juggling everything else. It took a solid effort of prioritizing and planning to make it happen. I am so thankful for the help I had along the way and for the opportunity from Liz and the FLC to have the honor of doing something special and lasting like this.
Stay tuned for the 'story' of the next mural. I'll give you the bare bones with this photo and a brief synopsis: it covers both walls down the hallway and and attempts to depict the Seven Days of Creation. Quite the simple task, no? I'm tackling the challenge!!!
(Hi Kate!)
-Beth
